From the name of the event to the lineup, Queen City Shout — Springfield’s mega music festival — is without a doubt SGF-centric. It is not, however, SGF-exclusive.
That’s on full display this year, as the nearly 100-act lineup, spanning a wide variety of genres, features musicians from other areas, including a pair of acts on their way home after the massive South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.
“We’re certainly open arms,” festival organizer Eddie Gumucio said. “I mean, honestly it’s international, national and regional. If we have the ability to bring someone in, we’re going to do it.”
The 12th annual Queen City Shout runs March 20-26 this year, with eight venues spanning three Springfield neighborhoods. The music beings with a kickoff party March 20, from 6-9 p.m., at Mother’s Brewing Company. A day pass for the festival is $15, while a seven-day pass is $30.
Bands are asking to take part in Queen City Shout
The show will feature singer-songwriter Nicholas Johnson, from Cincinnati, Ohio, and a band called The Pinkerton Raid, from Durham, North Carolina. Gumucio said both acts are headed home after playing South by Southwest — long seen as the kickoff to the music festival season — and actually reached out to him about possibly playing in Queen City Shout.
“It’s always been my goal to try and feature that because the festival from the get-go was always kind of loosely based off that South by Southwest model,” he said. “It’s happened organically. These bands we featured in the past and the ones this year literally reached out to us, so somehow, somewhere they’re finding out about us.”
Other outside acts are coming to Springfield from Missouri cities Sedalia and Osage Beach, and from northwest Arkansas. Americana duo Of Sea and Stone, from St. Louis, will also be playing this year.
Eight venues in three neighborhoods to host shows
The run-up to the weekend includes a pair of festival teasers with some local favorites. The Domino Kings play Tie & Timber Beer Co. March 21, while Shaun Munday is at Lindberg’s March 22. Six shows are scheduled for Thursday at various venues before things go full bore starting March 23.
“We are still at the eight venues, so we’re in three barrios still,” Gumucio said. “This is our second year that we’re doing that. The music numbers are about the same. We’re just under 100 acts. We have some returning acts, of course, and we definitely have some new names, so I’m excited about that.”
This year’s participating venues span Historic Commercial Street, Rountree and Downtown. They are:
- Hold Fast Brewing, 235 N. Kimbrough Ave.
- Lindberg’s Tavern, 318 W. Commercial St.
- Moon City Pub, 420 W. Commercial St.
- Mother’s Brewing Company, 215 S. Grant Ave.
- The Royal, 1427 E. Cherry St., Suite B
- Tie & Timber Beer Company, 1451 E. Cherry St.
- Ruthie’s on C-Street, 504 E. Commercial St.
- White River Brewing Company, 505 W. Commercial St.
Film lineup includes Bob Dylan documentary
While the music lineups are set, the film and art programming are still in their final planning stages. One thing is for sure: Moxie Cinema will host a screening of “Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back” at 7 p.m. March 22. The 1967 documentary covers Dylan’s 1965 tour of England.
The local short-film challenge SATO 48 is also involved in this year’s Queen City Shout.
“SATO 48 is going to have some of their features from last year looped at the Creamery Arts Center again,” Gumucio said. “And then, fingers crossed, we’re trying to find a venue for Dax Bedell, who directed and worked on two documentaries. I think they were already featured on PBS, but there’s one about the Ozark Mountain Daredevils and the history of KWTO.”
Live art planned at some performances
The Springfield Regional Arts Council is helping connect Gumucio with artists who will do live painting at some of the concert venues. Local artist Gary Bedell, meanwhile, designed this year’s Queen City Shout poster.
“We have three right now, and possibly a fourth artist,” he said. “They’ll be at different locations, scheduled at different times, and they’ll be doing live pieces that they will put up for sale if people are interested. That’s always a fun thing, to see them sort of creating in real-time.”
Gumucio said a part of the proceeds from those paintings will be donated to nonprofits.
‘Celebrate the arts, support poverty relief’
Charity is at the Heart of Queen City Shout. This year’s festival will benefit six different organizations:
- Community Partnership of the Ozarks
- Great Circle
- Harmony House
- The Kitchen
- Isabel’s House
- Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation
Donations can also be made through Queen City Shout’s 2023 GoFundMe page.
“I think since we’ve come out into the city we have raised just under, or maybe just over, $50,000 for the nonprofits,” Gumucio said. “Because we’ve been seeing an increase of about $2,500 each year. Everything we take in from our ticket sales and merch goes back to them. That’s really why we’re here. We’re still saying ‘Celebrate the arts, support poverty relief.’ That’s always going to be at the heart of it.”
Want to go?
What: 12th Annual Queen City Shout
When: March 20-26
Where: Eight venues across the city
Tickets: Available online in advance, or at the venues; $15 for a one-day pass; $30 for all seven days
For more information: Visit the official Queen City Shout website, or connect with them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
